Mike Axsome... Biological Question

[Danny]

Mike,

I remember back in biology in high school, our Bio. teacher once gave us a biological definition of lakes vs. ponds.

She said a lake is any body of water that is deep enough that the sunlight does not penetrate all the way to the bottom, everything else is considered a pond.

Can you tell me if this is correct? I'm pretty old, and that definition came from 1974. OK, so maybe I'm not pretty.. but am old, or at least feel old. LOL

Thanks Mike.

Tight lines and God Bless

Danny

[MikeAxsom]

Well, light penetration is one factor. This is one of those questions that can only be answered in general terms, because every rule you set seems to have an exception. But generally lakes are larger and deeper; and have ecosystems that are shaped by those factors. Ponds are smaller and shallower; and have ecosystems shaped by those factors.

Here is a link to the EPA discussion on the subject.

http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators/aquatic/lake-r.html

Now, we could also get technical and discuss the difference between a lake and a reservoir.

[Topwater2004]

A reservoir is any body of water that is located on an Indian reservation. Voir is the Indian tribe Wachachita word for lake.

topwater

[MikeAxsom]

Thanks! I was not aware of that.

[idbefishing]

If I can't put it on plane and run for at least 5-10 minutes, then it's a pond. :-)